Chinese Cultural Diplomacy in the 21st Century: The China Cultural Centre Project

This book examines the China Cultural Centre (CCC) project’s establishment, operation, and programming through the lens of cultural diplomacy. The work illuminates the main structural and operational characteristics of the CCC project by highlighting their similarities and differences compared to other cultural diplomacy initiatives, especially the Confucius Institutes (CIs). It also provides insights on its working modes and associated activities, primarily based on the case of the CCC in Australia, supplemented by information from other CCCs. Furthermore, it sheds light on the implications for the CCC project, expanding current discussions about Chinese cultural diplomacy. The book holds that the operation and programming of CCCs reflect common views of Chinese cultural diplomacy—strategically orientated, state-led, and quantity-driven—while also highlighting the inclusion of foreign collaborators and a bottom-up strategy for facilitating engagement and understanding. This book will be of much interest to students of diplomacy studies, public diplomacy, foreign policy, Chinese politics, and international relations.